Projects / Programmes
Development of advanced processes for attending high efficient nano modified textile materials
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 2.14.02 |
Engineering sciences and technologies |
Textile and leather |
Textile chemistry |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| T390 |
Technological sciences |
Polymer technology, biopolymers |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 2.05 |
Engineering and Technology |
Materials engineering |
Nano modified textiles, nanocoating, TiO2 nano particles, plasma, functionalizing textiles.
Researchers (27)
Organisations (4)
Abstract
Growing awareness of health, hygiene, safety and environmental protection has increased the demand for more effective and flexible textile surface treatments. The advent of nanoscience and nanotechnology has opened up new frontiers to the process. "Nanofinishing" is gaining increasing importance concerning wet and dry finishing processes. In recent decades titanium dioxide (TiO2) has attracted significant attention because of its excellent physicochemical properties, non-toxicity and good heat resistance. To increase adhesion and to control the photocatalytic activity, inert shells, composed of various materials such as inorganic oxides, were coated onto TiO2 cores. In preparing the optimal core-shell particles there are various demands/limitations e.g. the preparation of stable TiO2 colloids or TiO2 dispersion being a pretentious and lengthy process, and its preparation requires the use of potentially harmful organic solvents, leading to undesired TiO2 agglomeration effects. Thus, how to minimize agglomeration and obtain uniform layers in an aqueous environment remains an aspect that needs to be addressed before these kinds of products become commercialized. Furthermore, textile substrates are unable to bind TiO2 permanently and therefore cannot provide durability and properties that are sufficiently fast to washing and rubbing, which represents a major drawback for commercial textile use. One from among the goals of this project is to optimize the synthesis of TiO2 hybrids, which will be further applied on the fibres or incorporated into polyamide solution before spinning. Through completing preliminary trials, detailed analyses of a wide variety of TiO2 crystalline forms that are suitable for the treatment of textile materials will be carried out to ascertain their multi-functionally. The choice of the most appropriate form will depend on their physical, chemical and mechanical properties, and desired final functionalities. With the aim of producing multi-functional textiles with improved physical, chemical and special properties, a variety of inorganic oxides (shell particles) will be analysed to single out the most suitable, which will then be coated onto selected nanoparticles and, thereafter, applied to various (by form and structure) textile materials. Selected inorganic oxides and core-shell TiO2 particles will be modified using selected organic compounds (regarding the desired functionalities and to induce functional groups for effective covalent bonding to polymer substrates). The surface charge of the modified TiO2-hybrids will be determined by means of zeta potential (a method of electrophoretic mobility measurement), and the size and structure of the optimal TiO2-hybrids by FT-IR, XPS, SAXS and WAXS experimental techniques. Various finishing application (impregnation and exhaustion procedures) will of selected TiO2-hybrids be studied on the natural fibres and plasma activated synthetic polymer-forming fibres by varying the operational parameters (pH, temperature, treatment time, concentration and type of auxiliaries, time and nature of fixing, etc.), and thus, determined the optimal conditions for durable binding of TiO2-hybrids. Also, the possibility of combining the dyeing and TiO2 application (one-bath procedure) will be investigated. Additionally, various TiO2 particles of different sizes and forms (with resistance to high shear rigidities and high temperature-pressure loadings) will be modified/coated for particle incorporation into polyamide 6 (PA6) and polyamide 6,6 (PA6,6) during the spinning phase as well as the optimal technological parameters of spinning will be defined. Finally, textiles modified/coated with TiO2 core-shell nanoparticles will be analysed for UV-protective properties, antioxidant, antimicrobial and self-cleaning capacity, as well as their biodegradability by standard and newly developed methods.
Significance for science
New findings about the properties, modification and permanent application of anatase TiO2 nanoparticles and differentially-coated rutile TiO2-hybrides contributed to the enrichment of fundamental knowledge (correlation between reactivity, structure and surface properties) as well as applicable knowledge (introduction of new stable structures and testing methods, and development of new technologies) from this area; and to the development of new nano-upgraded textile materials with multifunctional properties such as UV protective, self-cleaning properties, hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity, etc. for various application purposes. Functionalization of textiles was achieved by the incorporation of selected inorganic TiO2 nano-structures into the polymer solution before spinning, and by the modification of fiber surface using an eco-friendly plasma technology and/or application of TiO2-hybrides, while retaining good physico-mechanical properties of textiles (breaking strength, elasticity, air permeability, handle, etc.). During the project, various industrially-applicable procedures were developed using nanoTiO2 hybrid structures, which were furthermore successfully united with materials dyeing; therein, the influence of intensive UV irradiation on dyes’ photo-stability and possible fabrics’ self-destruction on a micro level was emphasized on account of the presence of TiO2 catalyst. The surface phenomena during plasma treatment were studied as a function of time and the flux of reactive plasma particles onto the surface of materials, which is a unique scientific approach. The advantage of mentioned approach is that the obtained results could be easily generalized to any plasma reactor (as long as the plasma parameters are known). The combination of numerous sophisticated and cutting edge experimental techniques (XPS, SEM, DLS and UV/Vis spectrophotometric methods for nano-structures characterization, ATR-FTIR, SEM, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, measuring of whiteness, tensiometry, goniometry and measurement of zeta potential for determination of textiles surface modification as well as use of catalytic probe and OES for plasma characterization) leaded to a breakthrough in the understanding of the polymers modification processes. The results of this project were published in 4 original scientific papers in international journals indexed by SCI Expanded and SSCI (based on the impact factor) and in 13 presentations at international conferences world-wide, which represent important scientific contribution both on national and international research field. Thus, the experiences and ideas were shared with foreign experts in the field of functionalization of numerous fibre-forming materials, enhancing the possibility for submitting research proposals for bilateral programmes and EU funding programmes.
Significance for the country
Preserving part of the innovative and high-tech industry is deemed to be essential for sustainable socio-economic development of Slovenia. Attaining this goal, the extensive cooperation of different research groups from universities, institutes and industries, each of them already accomplished with extensive expertise in their own respective fields will be necessary. In this way we could suspect a better flow of information and potential networking between industrial partners, which will help Slovenian industry in breakthrough on the global markets. In a practical manner, this research represents a step in the direction of novel products’ synthases of the Cinkarna Celje collaborating company, which is one of the largest chemical-processing companies in Slovenia, for special application fields; thus, increasing its market share in a segment of high-added value and high-tech products in Slovenia and on international trade markets, which is in accordance with the strategic orientation of the company (one of the strategic goal is a production of ultrafine TiO2 explicitly in water suspension form: development of the synthesis methods for anatase and rutile without any intermediate powder phase preventing the negative influence on environment -emission of nanoparticles; extension of ultrafine TiO2 application fields). The correlations between the textile and polymer chemistry as well as physical-chemical knowledge or approaches would also enable the development of novel polyamide filament (PA6 and PA 6.6 yarns with incorporated TiO2 core-shell particles) within the Julon collaborating company, which want to broaden their products-offer by means of local knowledge and technologies to obtain new functionalities such as UV resistance, antistatic, improved mechanical, thermal and electrochemical properties, resistance to organic solvents as well as impart self-cleaning ability and, thereby, influencing de-odour and antimicrobial properties responding to the latest fashion trends, and the demands for high-tech clothing and sportswear. The vision of the Aquafil Divisione Bulgari Filati group of Bonazzi (one of the largest productions of polyamide filaments and granulates in Europe) part of which is Julon, is to be the global leader in the production of synthetic fibres, especially of Polyamide 6, and a key player in the sustainable development of innovative solutions in the swimwear, underwear, and sportswear sectors by investments in growth and excellence. The proposed project was joined together different industrial branches (chemical, polymer, and textile) by a strong scientific base and thus, contribute to the successful cooperation and improvement of numerous nano-structures and and its applying technology in the future regarding the application purpose. This means a rapid adaptation of products regarding the needs and demands of consumers and therefore, keeping and gaining new customers, which would result in an increase in economic business for both companies. The technology, which was developed during this project, could also be applied in other industrial fields in Slovenia such as the paper and chemical industry, and pharmacy. Finally, the dissemination of the project’s results was focused on different objectives (to raise awareness, to inform, to engage, to promote), and was designed for different groups, e.g. the scientific community, potential industrial users, interested consumers, etc.
Most important scientific results
Annual report
2011,
2012,
2013,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Annual report
2011,
2012,
2013,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
